News

UPDATE ON APRIL 14: We’ve hit our capacity of 100 attendees for this call. Please stay tuned for details on future sessions. ORIGINAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Join SPJ NorCal and the First Amendment Coalition for an informative and interactive one-hour call Zoom call on obtaining public records laws during the public-health emergency. Media lawyers and journalists will provide an…

For immediate release Contact: SPJ NorCal FOI Committee at spjnorcalfoi@gmail.com Some state and local entities in California have stopped responding to requests made under the Public Records Act amid changes to operations due to the COVID-19 health emergency. SPJ NorCal, along with the First Amendment Coalition and numerous other advocacy groups, issued a joint statement on March…

For immediate release Contact: SPJ NorCal FOI Committee at spjnorcalfoi@gmail.com In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, some government agencies in California have announced that they intend to stop responding to California Public Records Act requests until the crisis passes. There is no legal basis for this extraordinary step. The California Public Records Act, Gov. Code §…

Dear friends: The Society of Professional Journalists Northern California chapter has decided to postpone its annual James Madison Freedom of Information Awards dinner, which is organized by SPJ NorCal’s Freedom of Information Committee to honor organizations and individuals who have championed free speech and government transparency in the preceding year, due to public health concerns…